Top Givers in the Bay Area and nationwide

December 4, 2013 8:26 PM

Photo: Daniel Acker, Bloomberg

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41. George Roberts, co-chief executive officer of KKR & Co. LP, appeared at number 41 on the Top 50 Givers list, putting him at number eight on our list of Bay Area philanthropists. According to Forbes, Roberts donated $40.3 million (0.9% of his wealth) to his alma mater, Claremont McKenna College in Los Angeles and the Roberts Enterprise Development Fund. BusinessWeek reports that Roberts is also a board member for the San Francisco Symphony, the San Francisco Ballet, and the Museum of Fine Arts.
Last year, Roberts reportedly donated $40 million to Claremont McKenna College. less

41. George Roberts, co-chief executive officer of KKR & Co. LP, appeared at number 41 on the Top 50 Givers list, putting him at number eight on our list of Bay Area philanthropists. According to Forbes, Roberts ... more

39. John A. Sobrato, owner of the Cupertino-based Sobrato Development Organization, and his family reportedly gave $41.4 million to charity in 2012 (1% of his wealth). That makes him the 39th most charitable person on the Forbes top 50 list and the seventh most philanthropic man in the Bay Area. Over the years, Sobrato and his family have donated an estimated $238.3 million to charities, including an $18 million gift to the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health last year. less

39. John A. Sobrato, owner of the Cupertino-based Sobrato Development Organization, and his family reportedly gave $41.4 million to charity in 2012 (1% of his wealth). That makes him the 39th most charitable ... more

36. Oracle CEO Larry Ellison comes in at number six in the Bay Area and number 36 on the Forbes list. Last year, Ellison reportedly donated $46.5 million (0.1% of his total wealth) to the Ellison Medical Foundation for further research on "aging and age-related diseases."
Ellison's given approximately $430 million over his career as a professional billionaire. If you count trophies as a kind of charity, we suppose you could throw the America's Cup in the mix as well. less

36. Oracle CEO Larry Ellison comes in at number six in the Bay Area and number 36 on the Forbes list. Last year, Ellison reportedly donated $46.5 million (0.1% of his total wealth) to the Ellison Medical ... more

Photo: Eric Risberg, Associated Press

36. Oracle CEO Larry Ellison comes in at number six in the Bay Area... Photo-5552683.75364 - GreenwichTime

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35.Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google Inc., and his wife Anne Wojcicki, whom Brin is probably G-Chatting with via Google Glass in this picture, beat out Larry Ellison by approximately half a million in charitable donations. That places him at number 35 on the Top 50 list and fifth in the Bay Area.
In 2012, Brin and Wojcicki donated $46.9 million (0.2% of their wealth) to groups around Silicon Valley and beyond. Most notably, Brin and Wojcicki made a $32 million donation to the Michael J. Fox foundation for research in Parkinson's disease. less

35.Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google Inc., and his wife Anne Wojcicki, whom Brin is probably G-Chatting with via Google Glass in this picture, beat out Larry Ellison by approximately half a million in ... more

30. Herb Sandler, former co-CEO of Oakland's Golden West Financial, gave $50.3 million to ProPublica, the Center for American Progress, and asthma research last year. ProPublica and the Center for American Progress both work to uncover corruption in the American political system.
Sandler's 2012 donations put him at number 30 on Forbes' list and fourth in the Bay Area.
Over the years, Sandler and his late wife, Marion, have doled out approximately $600 million in donations around the nation. less

30. Herb Sandler, former co-CEO of Oakland's Golden West Financial, gave $50.3 million to ProPublica, the Center for American Progress, and asthma research last year. ProPublica and the Center for American ... more

17. Stephen Bechtel Jr. (at left) and his wife, Betty, came at number 17 with their 2012 donation sum of $102.5 million (3% of his total wealth). That makes him the third most charitable man in the Bay Area.
Bechtel is the founder of the S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation that provided $31 million and $30 million for California STEM education and environment programs respectively in 2012. less

17. Stephen Bechtel Jr. (at left) and his wife, Betty, came at number 17 with their 2012 donation sum of $102.5 million (3% of his total wealth). That makes him the third most charitable man in the Bay Area. ... more

10. Gordon Moore and his wife, Betty Moore, co-founders of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, reached the number 10 spot on the Forbes Top 50 list. If you've been keeping score, that means the Moores are the second most charitable Bay Area residents.
Forbes reports the Intel co-founder's charity program funds scientific research, environmental conservation, and patient care. The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation also provides grants to universities around the nation. In 2012, the foundation renovated the energy and sustainability laboratories at the California Institute of Technology and funded new ways to study Zooplankton at the University of California, San Diego, to name a few. less

10. Gordon Moore and his wife, Betty Moore, co-founders of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, reached the number 10 spot on the Forbes Top 50 list. If you've been keeping score, that means the Moores are ... more

5. As for the top five givers in the nation, Walmart Inc. owners, the Walton family, came in at number five.
Jim Walton, left,, Alice Walton, center, and Robson Walton, right, donated $432 million (0.3% of their wealth) in 2012. The family has given approximately $4.6 billion over the years in support of education reform and environmental conservation. less

5. As for the top five givers in the nation, Walmart Inc. owners, the Walton family, came in at number five.
Jim Walton, left,, Alice Walton, center, and Robson Walton, right, donated $432 million (0.3% of ... more

Photo: April L Brown, Associated Press

5. As for the top five givers in the nation, Walmart Inc. owners,... Photo-5552688.75364 - GreenwichTime

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4. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg appeared at number four on the list of the top givers in 2012 with $519 million (2.2% of his wealth). Of that, $499 in Facebook stock went to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation.
The half billion donation also makes this Palo Alto resident the most charitable person in the Bay Area. On December 4, Zuckerberg teamed up with the Gates Foundation to donate $9 million to provide Internet-less schools with broadband connections. less

4. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg appeared at number four on the list of the top givers in 2012 with $519 million (2.2% of his wealth). Of that, $499 in Facebook stock went to the Silicon Valley Community ... more

Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle

4. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg appeared at number four on the... Photo-5552689.75364 - GreenwichTime

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3. George Soros, founder of Soros Fund Management LLC, takes the third highest spot on the Forbes Top 50 list. In 2012, Forbes reported Soros gave a whopping $763 million (3.8% of his wealth) to government accountability organizations and human rights groups.
Soros has reportedly given up $10 billion to charities over his lifetime. less

3. George Soros, founder of Soros Fund Management LLC, takes the third highest spot on the Forbes Top 50 list. In 2012, Forbes reported Soros gave a whopping $763 million (3.8% of his wealth) to government ... more

2. Warren Buffett is, quite predictably, number two on the Forbes Top 50 list with $1.87 billion (3.2% of his wealth) in donations in 2012 alone. The Berkshire Hathaway CEO has tallied up $25 billion in donations over his lifetime and, with his recent pledge to give away 99 percent of his wealth to the Gates Foundation, that number is only the tip of the philanthropic iceberg. less

2. Warren Buffett is, quite predictably, number two on the Forbes Top 50 list with $1.87 billion (3.2% of his wealth) in donations in 2012 alone. The Berkshire Hathaway CEO has tallied up $25 billion in ... more

1. Microsoft founder Bill Gates and his wife, Melinda, walked away with this one again. In 2012, the power couple behind the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation donated $1.9 billion (2.6% of their wealth) to a number of causes around the world. From mosquito nets to new condom designs, the Gates Foundation is a bona fide charity juggernaut. The Gates family has given away approximately $28 billion over their years of charity and, with Buffett's pledges and this most recent broadband collaboration with Zuckerberg, they're primed to give so much more. less

1. Microsoft founder Bill Gates and his wife, Melinda, walked away with this one again. In 2012, the power couple behind the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation donated $1.9 billion (2.6% of their wealth) to a ... more